Sometimes it’s okay for a win to be ugly – against some teams, it’s your only option.
Werribee Giants have endured a tough time in recent clashes with the stubborn Bonbeach Bluejays in the Baseball Victoria summer league division 2, so a hard-fought 2-1 home victory will have to do.
“When you play the lower teams on the ladder, they seem to sort of step up against us,” Giants’ president Ben Bavdek told Star Weekly.
“Bonbeach had our number last year, so we come out and treated them with kid gloves; they’re a division 2 team for a reason.
“I would’ve preferred to win by more, of course, but a win’s a win and that’s all that matters.”
Bonbeach, six rungs below the ladder-leading Giants, arrived at President’s Park on Saturday hellbent on making life tough for the home side.
The Bluejays managed to pinch an early run to gain the ascendancy on the scoreboard. It made for a fairly stressful afternoon for Giants’ coach Justin Charles and his team.
“It was a tight one,” Bavdek said.
“They came out and jumped us early, but the boys just kept plugging away. They just did what they had to do to get the win.”
Even if the manner of the result was a tad untidy, there were diamonds in the rough for the Giants.
Newly acquired pitching ace Josh Lee was a boss on the mound.
After the early hiccup, he restored order for the Giants, getting to the seventh inning without further damage.
Young gun Wes DeJong closed the game out with two scoreless innings.
“Josh did the job again on the hill,” Bavdek said.
“He’s fitting in really nicely, and that left hand is getting harder and harder every week when he throws it, which is good.”
Michael Howe got a crucial late hit, as did new recruit Charles Thompson, who crossed from the Geelong Baycats in the off-season.
Thompson’s name in the line-up following a leg injury has bolstered the Giants batting considerably.
It looks even more menacing when you consider newly acquired Venezuelan import Jose Ruiz is still finding his feet.
If American-born Thompson can stay out of the medical rooms, he could be one of the most important pick-ups for a Giants team keen to boost its run production.
“He’s played at a higher level, college overseas, and he came from a big club in Geelong,” Bavdek said.
“He brings that extra spark, that extra guy with the bat and is just a positive bloke to have around the club. He’s the first one to hustle out and the first one to hustle back, all the things you want from a guy who is teaching these kids.”
The Giants were thrilled with the addition to the wins column – their seventh victory in nine games.
They will be hoping to keep up their winning form with a hectic three games in a week, including Saturday’s trip to Ballarat.
“If you win your games before Christmas, you can really set yourself up for finals,” Bavdek said.
“Instead of chasing the tail and hoping other clubs lose, you set the benchmark, then you can adjust your roster accordingly, try a few things and tinker if you need to, and really set it up for the home stretch.”
